Metabolism of seed.



' olizers, Seria monly known as seedlings.

.for the details of construction.

JOHN VON DER KAMMER, OF WASHINGTON,

PATENT OFFICE.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO BERTHA VON DER KAMMER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF OOLUMBIA.

METABOLISM OF SEED.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1908.

Application filed June 12, 1908. Serial No. 438,130.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN VON DER KAM- MER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metabolism of Seed, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved method for the metabolism of vegetable seeds and the artificial growth of plants therefrom without soil, to the extent of lateral root formation and stem development thereon, and to a condition of growth com- Young lants so developed constitute a very valua le food both for man as well as for domestic animals,

the dry components of the dormant seed being changed y such metabolism and rowth, and the plants when eaten enter the digestive organs in aqueous and assiinilable live-plant form, resulting in improved digestion and increased nutrition and correspondingly enhanced health. The feeding of such plants as stock food for animals also roduces a marked im rovement in the qua ity of the meat, as we 1 as other animal food products. As the result of my experiments I have found that the metabolism of seed and the growth of lants therefrom may be accomplished without soil in an inclosure in which the presence and action of atmospheric air is restricted and sup ressed and the seed practically surrounded by an anaerobic atmosphere in conjunction with artificial nutrition.

In my 00- ending application for metab- FNumber 425,774, filed April 7, 1908, and on which Patent 891,176, issued tome June 16, 1 908, I fully describe the construction of suitable anaerobic chambers for the use of the process of this a plication, and also refer to the drawings in that application The seeds to be metabolized under this process should not be steeped or soaked for any length of time, as this would cause the destruction of bacteria originating from the seed coats of the seeds and the loss of organic matter from the seeds, both of which I have found to be of great imfportance andexpedient in the early stages 0 the development of life within the seed. Furthermore, the moisture applied to the chamber and to the seeds should be regulated as not to water-log the seeds, which also interferes with the action of such bacteria which may be observed by the seed coats becoming slimy or slippery to, the touch.

For a further expedient of my process I introduce into the anaerobic chamber an anaerobic gas, preferably free nitrogen which may be produced in any desired manner, or may consist of any other nitrogenous gas having in combination nitrogen and hydrogen.

In order to prevent the undesirable action of oxygen which may leak into the apparatus an alkaline solution of pyrogalli'c acid may be conveniently placed within the apparatus or chamber.

Fora further expedient of my process I introduce into the anaerobic chamber such organisms and bacteria as ma be obtained from an extraction of a suitable soil or may be cultivated in a proper manner.

' I do not aim to provide specific soil bacteria for performing specific actions or results, but sub'ect the seeds to the bacteria flora of a fertil e soil such as will thrive in an artificial culture under anaerobic conditions.

Describing the culture of the bacteria, I dissolve two hundred gr. potassium, phosphate in ten thousand c. 0. Water into which is stirred one hundred and fifty gr. calcium carbonate and the entire liquid is siphoned off after settling. Into this I put two hundred gr. of dextrose and five hundred gr. of an extraction from a mixture of germinated seeds, referably wheat, corn and vetches, which has been filtered and sterilized. All this is put into a vessel having an air tight cover and preferably of stoneware, as glass or metal vessels are not well suited for the urpose. In the meantime an extraction of hlack pasture soil has been prepared in the followlng gallons of water I add enough ofthe black pasture soil to make a semi-liquid mass. After twenty-four hours I decant the water and allow it to precipitate when it is conveyed into a tightly covered vessel, when it is ready for use. I have found that the bacteria obtained from black pasture soil are well adapted for my purpose, the anaerobic conditions surrounding the bacteria in this character of soil more closely approximating the conditions to which such bacteria are to be subj ected in the apparatus which I employ. The extraction so prepared is then added to the previous liquids and the entire mixture is then made neutral, preferably slightly alkamanner: To approximately two 9 large plants,

line, by adding a sufiicient amount of an extraction of wood ashes. The liquid is then placed in a tightly covered vessel, and remains therein or about four days 'm a temperature of about 35? C. In about four da s the liquid becomes turbid, which shows t e degree of development of the micro-organisms; in the general practice, especially in t e operator will be guided by the turbidness of the liquid in his operations. For each new batch of grain a supply of this liquid is put in the tray-like depressions of the. apparatus, but the waste liquids from the apparatus containin valuable extractions are collected, filtere byvacuum pump, sterilized, and used over and over again in the continuous culture of organisms.

The liquid or bath directly used on the seed I prepare from a solution of potassium hosphate, carbonate of lime and commercial ertihzers containing soluble potassium, phosphoric acid and nitrogen also neutralized by an extract of wood-ashes and which is put into a tank holding water at a proportion of one part of liquid to five thousand of water, which means the combined weight of the dissolved chemicals to the weight of the water.

The condition of the micro-organisms which indicates that for one reason or another they of the seed, which result have become spoiled is also shown by a slimy touch of the seed. In such case a new carefully prepared culture must be obtained and the apparatus thoroughly cleaned.

A microscopical examination of the organisms shows from round'to rod-like ramifying bodies arranged in difierent formations an groups and among which can be detected well known sIpecific forms, but to which in my ractice do not pa specific attention.

Tl ie main pur ose of t e use of the microe chemical means employed of the proteolysis have found to be organisms and t by me is the accomplishin thereby effected.

Cultures of bacteria of divers description, and for the purpose of inoculating seed of the legumes, or the soil in which they are to be lanted, are now distributed by agriculturalinstitutions and are sold in the market as merchandise and which in a further culture under anaerobic conditions, es ecially in a culture containing extracts o germinated seed, as I have set forth, may be usefully employed in connection with my apparatus.

plants and at the same time sustaining the actions and development of soil'organisms in the anaerobic chamber andfiwhich chemical elements I use preferably in conjunction with ess, but I have found that after the p ants are in an advanced state of development they may be subjected to a treatment from which they absorb and incorporate into their disorders of the stock. I claim:

development of plant-life therefrom without robic chamber and periodically moistening the seed with a li uid nutrient media.

2. The metabo sm of seed for the artificial development of plant-life therefrom without soil, produced by placing; the seed in an anarobic chamber containing an anaerobic gas li ui nutrient media. I

testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN vo DER KAMMIER.

Witnesses R. LoUIsE' NORTON,

L. B. BAKER.

ments as above set forth develop rapidly into make-up iron, iodin and other elements which have a salutary effect in diseases and 1. The metabolism of seed for the artificial and eriodically moistening the seed with a able material for the development of 'the the element calcium in soluble form, all of v described, but which I also found in most 7 cases without materially benefiting the rocsoil, produced by placing the seed in an ana- 

